Well, I finally replaced the pickups in my Mike Lipe Virtuoso. HSS config, 1 piece alder body, flame maple top, 1 piece hard rock maple neck, brazilian rw fretboard, hipshot trem system and 25.5 inch scale with 22 med-jumbo frets.
I went with DImarzio, forgive me! I put a Heavy Blues 2 in the neck, Area 67 in the middle and Andy Timmons model in the bridge.
I was not impressed at first, but realized I had to let the new strings break in. Brand new strings always sound a little muddy, tin like and not so hot.
Neck: Full, round and reactive response. Little hotter than the usual 6.5k neck pickup SC, but not over the top at all. Does heavy blues amazingly well, go figure. Great upper mids and tight low end, enough high end to cut but not pierce. Blends extremely well with the Area 67 as well and gets a thick quack that is articulate and defined under distortion as well.
Area 67: Has a real kaw to it, with a squared of high end, if that makes sense. Definitely worthy on its own. Balances well with this setup, more of a shift in tone than in volume.
AT1: Semi hot A5 pickup with expressive low end, low mids and upper mids. Not an extreme high end, reminds me of being a brother to a JB (I think it was slightly based on that or a tweaked Breed). Great singing lead tone and has a great character for working chords. Definitely needed to turn down the gain after installing this mofo. Steve at DMZ said this would fatten up any Strat style a great deal, and he was right, for sure.
I am very pleased thus far. I may, may consider swapping out the AT1 for a brighter Mo'Jo or FRED down the road, because I like a brighter, more balanced bridge tone, but this thing still rocks.
I went with DImarzio, forgive me! I put a Heavy Blues 2 in the neck, Area 67 in the middle and Andy Timmons model in the bridge.
I was not impressed at first, but realized I had to let the new strings break in. Brand new strings always sound a little muddy, tin like and not so hot.
Neck: Full, round and reactive response. Little hotter than the usual 6.5k neck pickup SC, but not over the top at all. Does heavy blues amazingly well, go figure. Great upper mids and tight low end, enough high end to cut but not pierce. Blends extremely well with the Area 67 as well and gets a thick quack that is articulate and defined under distortion as well.
Area 67: Has a real kaw to it, with a squared of high end, if that makes sense. Definitely worthy on its own. Balances well with this setup, more of a shift in tone than in volume.
AT1: Semi hot A5 pickup with expressive low end, low mids and upper mids. Not an extreme high end, reminds me of being a brother to a JB (I think it was slightly based on that or a tweaked Breed). Great singing lead tone and has a great character for working chords. Definitely needed to turn down the gain after installing this mofo. Steve at DMZ said this would fatten up any Strat style a great deal, and he was right, for sure.
I am very pleased thus far. I may, may consider swapping out the AT1 for a brighter Mo'Jo or FRED down the road, because I like a brighter, more balanced bridge tone, but this thing still rocks.
